Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-11-19

and safely passed over the great bridge
at that point. No stop was made, though
the first serious cause for anxiety was
here visible. Hitherto everything had
worked exactly as we had calculated, and
our confidence in our leader and in final
success was c~orrespondingly increased;
but on q side track which connected with
q little branch road that ran up the
river about five miles to the Etowah iron
works and rolling mills, there stood q
locomotive! 1t was but a short distance
from us, and the smoke from the funnel
showed too plainly that it was ready for
work: thus constituting an element of the
most dangerous character which had not
been embraced in Dur calculations. It
was named the Yonah-a private en-
CINE used by the n Of the works for
their own purposes. Thoroughly as An
,1rews had explored the road, he had no
knowledge Of its existence until the mo-
ment when he saw it standing on the side
track not a dozen yards away, and looking
as ii it was ready to enter upon a race
with our General on equal terms. It
was still thirteen miles to Kingston. and
the enemy, if there was any direct pur-
suit, would be able TO get an engine there
much sooner than we had supposed posi-
bic. Several men were gathered about it.
hui not enough to make all assault seem
very formidable to our party. At the
first sight, knight said to Andrews, "We
had better destroy that and the big
bridge but Andrews refused with the
remark, "lt won't make any difference"
Nearly all critics Of the expedition who
knew of the presence Of this locomotive
for Il long time l did not, rs l was shut
up i'll the box car-are disposed to think
that here Andrews made u most unac-
countable mistake. But this is far from
certain.
1t must be remembered that the burn
ing of this bridge formed no part of An
drews' original plan, and could have ac-
compltshed nothing more toward the
furthering Of Mitchel's plans than the
burning of the Oostenaula bridge. The
local freight train was now due, and if it
came in sight while we We're engaged in
destroying the Ionah, or the bridge,
and getting the alarm, as would be almost
inevitable under the circumstances,
should get away from us and run back to
Kingston, or should run on us and cause
n wreck, Il situation would be far worse
than with this engine left behind rs. But
even ii we could be assured that the local
would not come, but remain for us ut
Kingston, still the attack here would
alarm the enemy. and we would he fol-
lowed from this point as readily rs from
Big Shanty, but eighteen miles further up
the road. 1t would be but little more
than an hours gallop to Kingston, where
Il train for pursuit would surely be found.
The capture at Big Shanty assured us of
Il longer start under any circumstances
thew rnnr,n,i ,,>cp;l1a - ~, +,,.o1 d..
strike Il blow here.
Leaving the engine and bridge behind,
we glided on through Gainesville, a town
of considerable size. where there were
many disappointed passengers on the
platform, and continued without incident
until We reached Cass station. The town
CT Cassville is some distance from the
railroad, but the station was important
for us us the regular place for taking on
wood and water. Here We stopped and
began to wood up. William Russell. the
tender. was naturally curious about the
appearance of such a small train running
o. the time of the morning mail. with no
passengers and non Of the regular hands.
Here Andrews told q most adroit and
carefully planned story, with enough OF
foundation to make it probable. He
claimed to have been sent by Gen. Beau
regard, who was in desperate straits for
ammunition, to impress Il train, have it
loaded with powder nnd run it through
at lightning speed. Had lie been pressed
more closely, he could have produced
passes proving himself worthy of belief.
But it was not necessary to go so far.
The very appearance of Andrews, tall,
commanding and perfectly self possessed,
speaking like one who had long been ac-
customed to authority, was SO much like
the ideal southern officer that Russel's
credence was won at once. Hc knew very
we'll that after such a battle as Pittsburg
Landing it was natural that powder
should be scarce, and if it did not come at
once, what more natural than to send for
it? Seeing the impression that he had
made, Andrews, who, of course, did not
work ut throwing on wood, but left that
to his companions, asked if he could not
be supplied with a schedule of the road.
as it might be useful. Rnssel, in his
patriotic fervor, took down and handed
out his own schedule, saying that he
would ''send his shirt to Beauregard" if
the latter wanted it! When asked after
ward if he did not suspect a man who
made such an unreasonable demand he
suspected Jefferson Davis himself Us one
IN AN 4AA IA ASoNAlA4SC AAAO kAA.
drews did"
We We're now within seven miles of
Kingston, 1esupplied with wood and
water, without having met the slightest
Eindrance Inc with q full schedule Of the
road. But at Kingston we had more rea-
son to apprehend danger than anywhere
else along the route. A branch road from
Rome connected there with the main
track, and the morning train from that
town would be awaiting our arrival.
This. with the local freight which We
hoped to meet and the complicated
arrangement of the switches, would con.
stitute no small obstacle to our onward
progress. The real difficulties surpassed
expectations. Andrews had made him
self familiar with the minutest working
OF the road at this point, as also at Dali
ton and Chattanooga, and we would soon
he able to see how he would overcome the
hindrances in his way.
We reached Kingston a little ahead of
time. A glance showed us that the local
freight had not yet arrived. Without the
slightest hesitation Andrews ran a few
hundred yards past the station, and or
dered the switch tender to arrange the
switch SO as to throw US on the side track;
then we backed out on it, stopping on the
west sic Of the station, and almost di-
rectly alongside of the Rome passenger
traln, then lying o. its own track, which
1Olned the main line still further north.
ms traln was expecting the coming Of
ruler mail, and of course the arrival
OF partial train in the place of the one
they were expecting was q matter of the
greatest interest to them. The engineer
stepped over to our locomotive and said,